diff --git a/src/pkg/net/fd_unix.go b/src/pkg/net/fd_unix.go
index 0540df8255b..d7a83b6393e 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/fd_unix.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/fd_unix.go
@@ -234,6 +234,20 @@ func (s *pollServer) Run() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *pollServer) PrepareRead(fd *netFD) error {
+	if fd.rdeadline.expired() {
+		return errTimeout
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *pollServer) PrepareWrite(fd *netFD) error {
+	if fd.wdeadline.expired() {
+		return errTimeout
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (s *pollServer) WaitRead(fd *netFD) error {
 	err := s.AddFD(fd, 'r')
 	if err == nil {
@@ -331,6 +345,11 @@ func (fd *netFD) name() string {
 }
 
 func (fd *netFD) connect(ra syscall.Sockaddr) error {
+	fd.wio.Lock()
+	defer fd.wio.Unlock()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareWrite(fd); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	err := syscall.Connect(fd.sysfd, ra)
 	if err == syscall.EINPROGRESS {
 		if err = fd.pollServer.WaitWrite(fd); err != nil {
@@ -425,11 +444,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareRead(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, &OpError{"read", fd.net, fd.raddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.rdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		n, err = syscall.Read(int(fd.sysfd), p)
 		if err != nil {
 			n = 0
@@ -455,11 +473,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) ReadFrom(p []byte) (n int, sa syscall.Sockaddr, err error) {
 		return 0, nil, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareRead(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, nil, &OpError{"read", fd.net, fd.laddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.rdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		n, sa, err = syscall.Recvfrom(fd.sysfd, p, 0)
 		if err != nil {
 			n = 0
@@ -485,11 +502,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) ReadMsg(p []byte, oob []byte) (n, oobn, flags int, sa syscall.S
 		return 0, 0, 0, nil, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareRead(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, 0, 0, nil, &OpError{"read", fd.net, fd.laddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.rdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		n, oobn, flags, sa, err = syscall.Recvmsg(fd.sysfd, p, oob, 0)
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO(dfc) should n and oobn be set to 0
@@ -522,11 +538,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) Write(p []byte) (nn int, err error) {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareWrite(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, &OpError{"write", fd.net, fd.raddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.wdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		var n int
 		n, err = syscall.Write(int(fd.sysfd), p[nn:])
 		if n > 0 {
@@ -562,11 +577,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) WriteTo(p []byte, sa syscall.Sockaddr) (n int, err error) {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareWrite(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, &OpError{"write", fd.net, fd.raddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.wdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		err = syscall.Sendto(fd.sysfd, p, 0, sa)
 		if err == syscall.EAGAIN {
 			if err = fd.pollServer.WaitWrite(fd); err == nil {
@@ -590,11 +604,10 @@ func (fd *netFD) WriteMsg(p []byte, oob []byte, sa syscall.Sockaddr) (n int, oob
 		return 0, 0, err
 	}
 	defer fd.decref()
+	if err := fd.pollServer.PrepareWrite(fd); err != nil {
+		return 0, 0, &OpError{"write", fd.net, fd.raddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
-		if fd.wdeadline.expired() {
-			err = errTimeout
-			break
-		}
 		err = syscall.Sendmsg(fd.sysfd, p, oob, sa, 0)
 		if err == syscall.EAGAIN {
 			if err = fd.pollServer.WaitWrite(fd); err == nil {
@@ -613,6 +626,8 @@ func (fd *netFD) WriteMsg(p []byte, oob []byte, sa syscall.Sockaddr) (n int, oob
 }
 
 func (fd *netFD) accept(toAddr func(syscall.Sockaddr) Addr) (netfd *netFD, err error) {
+	fd.rio.Lock()
+	defer fd.rio.Unlock()
 	if err := fd.incref(false); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -620,6 +635,9 @@ func (fd *netFD) accept(toAddr func(syscall.Sockaddr) Addr) (netfd *netFD, err e
 
 	var s int
 	var rsa syscall.Sockaddr
+	if err = fd.pollServer.PrepareRead(fd); err != nil {
+		return nil, &OpError{"accept", fd.net, fd.laddr, err}
+	}
 	for {
 		s, rsa, err = accept(fd.sysfd)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/timeout_test.go b/src/pkg/net/timeout_test.go
index 0260efcc0b6..2e92147b8e3 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/timeout_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/timeout_test.go
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ func TestReadDeadlineDataAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ln.Close()
 
 	servec := make(chan copyRes)
-	const msg = "data client shouldn't read, even though it it'll be waiting"
+	const msg = "data client shouldn't read, even though it'll be waiting"
 	go func() {
 		c, err := ln.Accept()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -596,6 +596,64 @@ func TestWriteDeadlineBufferAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestAcceptDeadlineConnectionAvailable tests that accept deadlines work, even
+// if there's incoming connections available.
+func TestAcceptDeadlineConnectionAvailable(t *testing.T) {
+	switch runtime.GOOS {
+	case "plan9":
+		t.Skipf("skipping test on %q", runtime.GOOS)
+	}
+
+	ln := newLocalListener(t).(*TCPListener)
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		c, err := Dial("tcp", ln.Addr().String())
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Dial: %v", err)
+		}
+		defer c.Close()
+		var buf [1]byte
+		c.Read(buf[:]) // block until the connection or listener is closed
+	}()
+	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	ln.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(-5 * time.Second)) // in the past
+	c, err := ln.Accept()
+	if err == nil {
+		defer c.Close()
+	}
+	if !isTimeout(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("Accept: got %v; want timeout", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestConnectDeadlineInThePast tests that connect deadlines work, even
+// if the connection can be established w/o blocking.
+func TestConnectDeadlineInThePast(t *testing.T) {
+	switch runtime.GOOS {
+	case "plan9":
+		t.Skipf("skipping test on %q", runtime.GOOS)
+	}
+
+	ln := newLocalListener(t).(*TCPListener)
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		c, err := ln.Accept()
+		if err == nil {
+			defer c.Close()
+		}
+	}()
+	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	c, err := DialTimeout("tcp", ln.Addr().String(), -5*time.Second) // in the past
+	if err == nil {
+		defer c.Close()
+	}
+	if !isTimeout(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("DialTimeout: got %v; want timeout", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestProlongTimeout tests concurrent deadline modification.
 // Known to cause data races in the past.
 func TestProlongTimeout(t *testing.T) {